Because
by WeCouldJustPretend
Summary: Its winter time in Hollow Bastion and Yuffie makes things go wrong, will they go right? Sqiffie A little bit of Clorith


The cold chill of Hollow Bastion's winter made Yuffie pull her light jacket around her, she was used to cold but not being in Hollow Bastion for such a long time was quite a drastic change.

Stepping into the bubble that led into the cave underneath the castle, her shoes splashed water getting her knee-high socks partially wet. Pushing a lock of obsidian hair back from her ear she shivered again until she heard the key chain of the gunblade rattle against the trigger.

Taking her hand she balanced herself as she leaned over and watched him from afar; his perfect, clean strokes made him always win when he fought against her or Cloud- or maybe Cloud was getting pudgy from eating too much of Aeris's cooking.

Ever since everyone had come back to Hollow Bastion, their small group had moved into the castle, and renovating it back to its formal glory, they still weren't done but it was the best they could do for now until the villages and towns of Hollow Bastion were up and running again.

Yuffie, herself had taken it on herself to take care of the bedrooms, many people were coming back here to find that their homes had been destroyed by the heartless. She had washed all the sheets-which was quite a task which took all but a month to do, dusted off all the dressers, mirrors, and tables. She remembered when she took the job Squall had insulted her by saying that she was just a little kid and that she would be whining for someone to take her job for it.

Shaking her head, she smiled. She hadn't whined to anyone just to prove Squall wrong, and much to say she enjoyed the silence and solitude she got from cleaning the rooms. It provided her time to think about the many things.

His precise swings were getting slower until he finally stopped and took a breath, Yuffie smiled and grinned before he started once again after wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Squall had been taken to the library and reorganizing it so it would become the once grand library it had been before. The shelves were terribly disorganized when they had returned; they knew Sora had tried to help a little when he was here. Many days when she was dragging her laundry carts down the hall she would peek into the library to see him sitting under the stairway, reading a new book before shutting it and putting it away.

She was glad he was enjoying himself in the library or she hoped to-she knew that he had once had reading as a past time but when the heartless came there was no time to read only ready for battle, and fighting.

The old Squall she wished she had back, him and his coat with the fur around the collar, she loved that coat and how she would steal it when she was 10, and wrapped herself in it, as Squall and his girlfriend Rinoa would watch her and smile lightly and her antics with Rinoa always asking Squall where he had found a such a cute little girl like her.

But that was back when the heartless when non-existent and Rinoa was still alive. She knew how much Squall hated himself for not being able to save her. That was one of the many contributing factors of the 'New Leon' as she called. She didn't want to believe but she did.

She sharpness of the blade dimly shone through the darkness as it moved quickly with its master-willing to go wherever he went. The two melded together as they danced in the darkness.

Finally, having enough reminiscing she stepped out from her hiding place as she splashed in place letting Squall know she was coming and ran out to him "Hey! Everyone's ready to eat you know? I'm starved and we're all waiting for you," She said grinning while pulling on his shirt playfully dragging.

He pulled away and straightened out his jacket and nodded silently and began to walk ahead. Yuffie frowned, discouraged but wiped it away as she reminded herself she had to be the happy, upbeat one. If she hid, they would find her and ask 'What's wrong?' or if she didn't respond they would ask 'What's wrong?' and everybody would get worried-that is except Squall.

Squall had seemed to block himself off to the world when he returned to Hollow Bastion, when Sora left-his challenge of a fight left, and he was stuck here without a point, drowning in past memories.

Shaking her head she ran ahead him, grinning playfully as she flashed a peace sign and stepped into the bubble of air that would take them above. Squall sighed as he waited for the bubble to come back.

He had known Yuffie had been watching him, he had her splashing through the water earlier and her breathing and she just seemed to brighten the atmosphere around everyone making it cheerful and easy-going. He had been spending time down here more often because of what the past held.

What would happen if Rinoa or Seifer returned? Would everything return to normal, would everything fall to pieces again? He simply didn't know the answers for once-usually he knew what he asked himself and inwardly smacked himself for forgetting the answer and not thinking.

The bubble had arrived and he trudged into the bubble still pondering. Christmas was getting near and the shops that had opened were already on their way filling their pockets with a much munny as they could.

He had thought of buying presents for everyone- heck he knew he had the money from all the heartless; he never used it on weapon upgrades or armor upgrades or potions of the sort. Christmas was something he tried to avoid, all it brought back were memories and a reason to overeat and then exert yourself trying to do something important.

Stepping out the bubble, Yuffie was standing right in front of him with a neutral expression on her face which he hadn't seen for a long time, she shook her head and grinned and she began to leap across the stones and jump onto the moving platforms. Finally making it to the final platform she stopped and waited for Squall who wasn't far behind her but was much more tired then herself.

As soon as he caught up, she jumped onto the platform, which Leon soon joined. Looking over the edge of the platform she saw a village with decorations covering every corner and Christmas lights galore. People rushing to and back, buying and exchanging presents.

Glancing over to Squall, she sighed and walked off the platform, which had barely docked at the castle.

Leon heard her sigh and shook his head; Yuffie was…complicated at least to him.

As soon as they stepped into the house, they stopped in shock. Individuals were all around, decorating the house in Christmas spirit. Yuffie stepped forward and grinned and turned back to Squall "Come on! Maybe Aeris is making sugar cookies" She said taking his hand while blushing and ran to the kitchen.

The sweet aroma of freshly made food made their stomachs growl loudly as they stepped into the room. Looking down, Yuffie lifted her hand from Squalls blushing, and ran to the table and took the seat next to Cloud who was sitting next to Aeris, which was expected.

"Bout' time, you two" A gruff voice came out as Yuffie looked across the table and grinned insanely at Cid "You're here!" She was to get up before Cloud pushed her down again.

Leon surveyed the room, Cid was taking his usual spot, so he took the seat next to Yuffie and stared at Aeris who nodded and she began to pile food onto her plate as well as everyone else.

He glanced over to Yuffie who was taking a helping of everything on the table. Content with her meal she grabbed her fork and dug into her salad and began eating.

Turning back to his dinner, he piled mashed potatoes on to his plate along with a medium-sized portion of roast beef, all of it in gravy with salad as a side. Picking up his glass cup, he brought it to his lips and drank some before Yuffie got the idea to say something

"Guess what everybody! I'm going to be having Squall's child!" She said looking totally serious.

That was when water went spewing into the air as he turned to Yuffie was giggling to herself and just couldn't contain herself and burst out laughing as did everyone else.

Leon glared as he took his napkin and wiped his face off, and stood up glaring specifically at Yuffie as he walked out, slamming the door.

Yuffie sunk down in her chair ashamed as she kicked the table making it shake a little as she stood up and followed Squall only quieter.

Leon stood outside his bedroom door wondering why he deserved to have someone like Yuffie around, she was loud, annoying, childish, all the things he despised yet he couldn't be mad at her. He'd known her since she 7, a little girl who loved to steal his fur jacket and place it around her even though it was several sizes to big, how she brought Rinoa a flower when she was feeling down and how she gave him a hug when he was particularly upset with his father.

Yuffie walked down the now-decorated hallway trying to remember where Squalls room was. Shaking her head she continued on as she looked at the portraits of the past rulers that had once lived here. The picture of Ansem still haunted her dreams as visions of him creating the heartless or him opening the keyblade or all the horrible things he had done.

She stopped as she saw Squall standing outside his door-just standing there. Making no move to acknowledge her, yell at her, or anything. Taking a step forward; she bowed her head in shame as she took another and another. Pretty soon, she was standing in front of him with her eyes downcast.

"I'm sorry Leon," She said before turning her back and running towards her room in the castle.

Leon stared at her with heartbroken eyes, When she called him Leon it sounded so unfamiliar and odd. Leaning against the wall he raked his fingers through his hair yet again and looked once again down the hallway.

Taking a step away from the wall, he began to walk after her.

Yuffie gasped as she ran away as fast as she could through the hallways of Hollow Bastion as she head dived into a transportation circle as it shifted its gears and began moving upwards.

Rubbing her hands together, she breathed on them as the cold air of the castle cast down on her and bare shoulders that her top didn't cover the area needed. Shivering she crossed her arms across her stomach it would make the slightest distance.

Sighing she got off the lift and jumped upwards and landed on the block where Sora had once stood long ago-well not that long ago, she was only 18 with so much more to grow.

She climbed onto the large lift and sat down on the edge of it looking down at the almost deserted yet populated towns of Hollow Bastion far from returning to their vast empire that they once were.

Eyes widening as she passed over a familiar building that she had spent her childhood memories was burnt, and broken down from the heartless. She choked back a cry from her throat and buried her head in her hands and she huddled together to try and hold in the painful memories.

The shifting of the lift reminded her that it was time to get off as she sniffled and jumped to the door that led you into the Great Crest of Hollow Bastion, shaking her head she headed into the laboratory where the creation of the heartless all began.

Touching the glass containers where the Princesses of Heart were kept captive when their hearts had been stolen. She climbed up the steps and looked into the mess of colors that led them to the Keyhole, which had been hidden yet again.

She sat down on the cold floor as she gathered her legs in her arms and laid down her head. She tried to prevent the tears from rolling down her cheeks and her body shook and trembled.

Leon looked side to side of the hallway of Hollow Bastion as he noted when he saw that there were footprints in the dust of barely used Hallway that led to the Great Crest. Following them he stepped onto the lift, which of course lifted him up to the outside portion of the castle.

The cold air didn't affect him as he stepped out and followed the footprints yet again as he leaped into the air and landed on the platform with a quiet grunt. Waiting for the large lift that would take him to the Crest was returning signifying it had just been used.

Stepping onto the platform, he looked over the towns that once ruled and saw the same thing Yuffie did, The Kirasagi Dojo that he had visited everyday to train with her father. His eyes iced of the memories that were returning, the destruction of the dojo, the screams of Rinoa getting her heart ripped out by a lust-driven heartless, the sounds of his friends dropping around him, the scream of a little 7-year old Yuffie as she was being chased by a heartless with its long reaching fingers and they wrapped around her throat but disappeared once he swung his mighty Lionheart.

Lifting up his head and noticing the lift was waiting for him to get off briskly walking off he looked around and entered the laboratory.

Someone was in here, he concluded after listening to sniffling and sounds of breathing. Observing the room, most of it was covered in dust. He spotted a line running across the glass holders and climbed up the stairs as he looked around cautiously.

His eyes landed on an almost blue Yuffie shivering and sniffling. Walking towards her he got no response as he kneeled ready to pick her up, she stuck her arm out and she lifted her tear-stained face and looked at him. His breath was caught in his throat, as her almost closed eyes looked him over before looking back down and sighing.

Picking her up in a bridal styled fashion he, pushed her freezing light body to his chest as he kicked the door open and walked to the large lift again as he waited for it to come over.

Looking down at her petite frame, shivers wracked her small yet firm body, and her lips were a light colored purple, stuck out in a small pout, which suited her luscious lips, and long lashes stuck out framing large almond shaped eyes.

His breath was stuck in his throat yet again as he realized that she wasn't just a little girl, but a fine young woman who had saved the lives of others countless times, battled and survived. He felt the tips of his mouth rise upward as he stepped onto the lift as he kept her to his chest.

Yuffie just stayed there unmoving as she felt Leon's eyes look her over as she refused to move to make appear asleep. As he stepped onto the platform, she sighed and turned and he held her closer as she opened up one eye, which made her other one fly open in surprise before closing them rapidly.

Leon smiling, Leon smiling after looking at her.

Yuffie tried to hide the surprise in her while letting her body loosen as she made herself more comfortable in his arms as another shiver took her.

Leon looked down as he jumped down from the platform and climbed into the lift which immediately them downstairs as Yuffie shivered again raising the hairs on her arm. Hugging her tighter he ran down the hallway careful as to not disturb her, he turned the corner and almost ran into Cloud.

"Hey! Watch it will you!" He bellowed after Leon passed him as a look of surprise covered his face as he saw Yuffie's legs were there for him to see in all their glory but quickly turned to worry as to why Leon was running so fast toward Yuffie's bedroom.

Leon shoved Yuffie's open bedroom door as bright lamps lighting themselves and forest green wallpaper greeted him. Placing her on her 4-Poster bed, he took off his own jacket as he lifted her heavy comforter and placed it over her as she turned and opened her eyes slightly, her lips chapped.

"Why Leon?" She managed to get out before sneezing and closing her eyes. Eyeing her, he shook his head as head and watched her fall asleep as her pale skin returned to her normal natural tan skin.

Taking his hand, he swept her jet black bangs back behind her ear as he traced her cheek and leaned down kissing her on the lips lightly as he replied "Because" He said walking out of her room not noticing Yuffie snuggle into her blankets and bring a finger up to her lips smiling contently.

Leon sighed as he fell apart outside Yuffie's closed door as he brought a finger up to his lips and brushed his lips as he closed his eyes. Pulling himself together, he set off to find Aeris and tell her that Yuffie was sick.

Yuffie stumbled out of her bed as she went over to her dresser and changed it to a pair of simple blue jeans and a white turtleneck as she slipped into a pair of white slippers and placed her scarf around her neck as she shuffled out her room with her light blanket around her towards the kitchen.

Looking around the hallways, she silently crept through the hallways- a habit she had picked up in Traverse Town, don't let the heartless here you. Standing in front of the kitchen doors she pulled out a hand from under her blanket and opened the door and stepped inside the blinding white kitchen and spotted Aeris mixing a cup of hot cocoa.

Aeris, looked up and smiled lightly as she held the mug up to Yuffie as Yuffie nodded and smiled at Aeris as she stepped outside of the kitchen and walked to one of the many rooms of Hollow Bastion settling in the library, underneath the staircase as she set her hot cocoa down and picked out a book _'Famous Figures in Hollow Bastion' She_ smiled and thought that Sora should be in this book, but he would be. Hundreds of books would be about him and his adventures-She was sure of it.

Opening the book to a random page, she sunk to the floor as she grabbed her hot cocoa and brought it to her lips as she began reading getting more and more into the book as she heard the library door creak open and Leon slipped in.

He was more then surprised to see her out of her normal clothes and out of bed where she had been situated more then minutes ago. Walking closer to her, he recognized to the book she was currently engrossed in.

Yuffie, who was trying to ignore Leon the best she could brought the mug to her lips once again and licked her lips as she set it down, letting the hot liquid warm her body up.

Leon, who was a little aggravated at her display, kneeled down and took the book from her hands as she was forced to look up at her book-stealer "Give it back" She whined as her tongue came to wet her lips again looking at him.

Leon smiled as he caressed her face with concern etched into his face "Why aren't you asleep?" He asked

Yuffie rolled her eyes as she pulled Leons hand away from her face but didn't let it go "I couldn't sleep" She admitted truthfully.

Leon stared at his hand, weathered down and scared, was in her hand, which was warm and weathered as well yet, silkily soft.

Yuffie gave a little smile as she brought her hand to his face "Why?" She asked tipping her head to the side as Leon just shook his head and leaned in kissing once again "Because" He said wrapping his arms around her, careful as to not tip over her mug, as he felt Yuffie unwind in his arms unfortunately knocking over the mug spilling the floor.

But neither of them noticed it spilling, nor the two watching from above smiling at the two as they hung mistle-toe over the two.

The End 

Done, about time I finished this.

O.o;; And I thought I would write a Riku/Sora fic first but I guess it never happened.

Oh well, comment, critiques, flames, or tomatoes are all welcomed.

Leon, Yuffie, and all the other things mentioned are all copyrighted to SquareSoft and Disney, alas I do not own them-but I do want them for Christmas.

This is dedicated to Deplora for inspiring me to first write this and also finish it. Thanks Deplora -


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